The invention relates to a method of coding high-speed objects and, more particularly, to a method for coding a high-speed object, such as a pipe, having a lateral travel path with a multi-digit production series number.
Requirements have developed in many industries to devise techniques for tracing the history of a product through the course of a multi-stage production process. Specifically, manufacturers desire to track the location of an object within a production series. This is sometimes referred to as the xe2x80x9cin process number.xe2x80x9d Pipes, or other products such as structural shapes, in a production series can easily be separated and identified for applying a complete identification number. However, the chronological order of each pipe within the series may be disturbed as the pipes get mixed on the cooling conveyors.
Prior art marking technology involves the formation of characters or symbols in dot matrix fashion using discrete jets of marker fluid or ink. This marker ink is expressed from select ones of a linear array of nozzles in conjunction with atomizing air to form dots at the workpiece to be marked. However, marking of fast-moving pipes in a production line with spray paint dots may be difficult. Oftentimes, the pipe moves so quickly that the paint spray dots are distorted which, in turn, distorts the alpha numeric symbols they are attempting to represent. For example, at speeds above 600 feet per minute, the shape of the ink jet spray becomes a rectangle with rounded short ends oval. Accordingly, marking pipe in a production line utilizing prior art ink or paint jet spray is unsuccessful since the marks are not readable.
Various systems have been proposed for marking multi-character messages on the surface of solid materials, such as disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,506,999; 4,808,018; 4,883,291; 4,985,715; 5,015,106; and 5,119,109. However, these systems are relatively complex.
The present invention is provided to solve these and other problems.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a method of coding a high-speed object, such as a pipe, having a lateral travel path with a multi-digit production series number. Preferably, the pipe is moving at a speed of at least 600 feet per minute.
In accordance with the invention, a first marking member and a second marking member are provided. The second marking member is positioned vertically adjacent the first marking member. In one aspect of the invention, a third marking is provided vertically adjacent the second marking member. The second marking member is positioned between the first marking member and the third marking member. Preferably, the marking members are nozzles.
A plurality of peripherally-spaced, axially-directed marking locations are defined and a group of generally elongated marks are applied along each of the plurality of marking locations. The quantity of marks in each group represents a respective digit of the multi-digit production series number. The marks are read and assigned the respective digit of the multi-digit series number.
It is contemplated that a plurality of test marking locations are defined prior to defining the plurality of marking locations. A generally elongated mark is applied along each of the plurality of test marking locations before applying a group of marks along each of the plurality of marking locations.
It is also contemplated that a plurality of test marking locations are defined after defining the plurality of marking locations. A generally elongated mark is applied along each of the plurality of test marking locations after applying a group of marks along each of the plurality of marking locations.
It is further contemplated that the group of marks is visually-readable by a human observer.
It is still further contemplated that the group of marks is machine-readable.
Other features and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following specification taken in conjunction with the following drawings.